Jet skis are proving to be a summertime curse with injuries more than doubling in six years prompting calls to regulate their use.

It has prompted lawyers to call for mandatory insurance on the watercraft to protect victims of accidents.

It comes as a 51-year-old man died in hospital yesterday after he was struck by a jet ski in Port Melbourne on Friday afternoon.

Marine safety figures show 1100 people were taken to hospital as a result of jet ski crashes in 2009/2010, up from 530 in 2003.

Most accidents were the result of errors of judgment or lack of experience – with 17 per cent of patients requiring more than a week in hospital.

Maurice Blackburn principal Andrew Dimsey said with more than half of all watercraft owners uninsured, many injured people were missing out on compensation.

“Jet ski’s are powerful devices and in the wrong hands they are very dangerous,” he said.

“At the moment there’s a huge gap in the system and the consequences can be tragic for those impacted by a jet ski (crash).”

Mr Dimsey said an easy solution would be to require owners registering their craft to prove they had third party insurance.

It follows calls for jet skiers to be subjected to motorbike-like tests before being allowed to hit the water.

Darren Williams, President of the Australian Jet Sports Boating Association, yesterday described personal water craft as a “big hole” in licensing.

He said the group was seeking the introduction of skills testing before allowing people to ride them.

“We think it’s the most ridiculous thing,” he said.

“How can you let someone ride this thing with 300 horse power that has demonstrated no ability with it?”

“Can you really allow someone to ride these with no check of ability?”

Currently only a written boat license test and subsequent jet ski authorisation must be completed to allow anyone aged 16 and up to take to the water on jet skis capable of speeds over 110km/h.

He also noted the organisation strongly supported grounding dangerous riders through hoon laws and confiscation of their vessels.

“If you have got someone being an idiot we encourage them to be reported,” he said.

“There are some who are an accident waiting to happen. It’s like hoon drivers who buy V8 cars.”

Victorian President for the Association, Tony Scaturchio, said the local branch would also back a practical skills test.

“We would support anything like that to happen in Victoria as well,” Mr Scaturchio said.

“Most of the models out there now have no brakes… some do 0 to 100km/h in three seconds – in the wrong hands it’s a lethal weapon.”

A water police spokesman said jet skiers were an ongoing problem.

“Jet skiers are the most complained about in the boating area,” they said.

“It’s a problem across the state, but more prevalent in Port Phillip Bay.”

Victorian’s concerned about the danger posed by rogue jet ski riders have this year pushed for bans around the St Leonards area near Geelong and at Safety Beach on the Mornington Peninsula.

Full article: Herald Sun